Known castors comprise a body mounting one or two castor wheels for rotation about a generally horizontal wheel axis, the body being carried for swivelling, about an upright swivel axis spaced from the wheel axis by a mounting structure for mounting the castor to an article of furniture or the like to be supported by the castor. A brake mechanism can be incorporated so that the wheels can be selectively braked against rotation, and/or the body can be braked against swivelling. Braking can be effected frictionally, but disadvantages then arise from wear of the engaging parts and from material entering in use between them. Braking can instead be effected by engagement of toothed brake elements, but difficulties then arise from the lack of registration that inevitably sometimes occurs.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a castor brake member which is resiliently engageable with braking teeth provided on appropriate castor parts to effect braking against either one or both of wheel rotation and swivelling movement.
It is also an object of the invention to provide for the braking of a castor against both rotation of its wheel or wheels, and the body on which the wheels are mounted, by movement of a spring metal brake member.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a castor having a castor body mounting one or more castor wheels and a spring metal brake member which incorporates an integrally formed pivot portion by which it is pivotably carried by integrally formed portions of the castor body.